The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is receiving $6 million dollars for the final phase of its water meter installation project.
The water meter installation is one of 45 local government infrastructure projects in B.C. awarded money through the federal Canada Community Building Fund in an announcement Monday, April 17.
In 2021, through an alternate approval process, SCRD electors approved the borrowing of up to $7.25 million to install water meters in the Sechelt area. The recently announced funding will reduce the need for the SCRD to borrow to pay for that project.
"This grant is great news for our community and will fund the majority of the cost of the installation of water meters in the Sechelt area, lessening the financial burden on residents," said SCRD board chair Leonard Lee in an email.
“I want to recognize and thank the SCRD staff who put forward this successful grant application,” said Lee. “The Canada Community Building Fund receives many applications from across the country and for the SCRD to receive such a significant grant is a testament to the work done behind the scenes."
Only half of the properties in the Chapman Water System – the largest water system on the Coast and the one that serves Sechelt – are metered, according to a recent SCRD staff report. Even with the imminent awarding of the contract to complete installations, the SCRD board was cautioned at its April 6 committee meeting to expect delays in sourcing materials. Along with a shortage and related upward cost pressures for water system fittings, the manager of utility services said “meter boxes are really hard to get so there will be a supply chain issue.”
– With files from Connie Jordison
